1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to umbrella structures and more particularly to a golf bag umbrella having a threaded flexible joint in its telescopic center post so that the joint is adapted to bend in a plurality of radially directed positions relative to the part of the center post therebelow for facilitating access to golf clubs in a golf bag.
2. Description of Related Art
Golf bag umbrellas have been in existence for many years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,570 discloses a golf bag umbrella which is characterized by providing a central spring connection for joining upper and lower extension tubes of handle shaft together, and a tilt umbrella canopy fixing device including a flexible cord having one end secured to a canopy periphery ring and the other end passing through an arresting plate and an anchor ring on the handle shaft to fix at the arresting plate so that the tilt umbrella canopy can be fixed at an oblique angle relative to the part of the handle shaft below the spring connection after bending the spring connection.
Disadvantages of the '570 patent are that an additional tilt umbrella canopy fixing device is required and an operation of restoring the tilted umbrella to its upright position by unfastening the tilt umbrella canopy fixing device may hurt the user accidentally if sufficient care is not taken since the restoring elastic force of the spring connection is great.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,890 discloses an obstruction-free golf bag umbrella which is characterized by providing a bending portion in its handle shaft, the bending portion including an inner flexible rod, an outer reinforced restoring spring, and a restoring spring mounted therebetween.
Disadvantages of the '890 patent are detailed below. Three different resilient members are provided, resulting in a complex handle construction which in turn may involve a time consuming manufacturing process. Further, elastic deformations of the three constituent components of the bending portion are different when bending. Thus, a great force is required in its bending. Furthermore, an operation of restoring the tilted umbrella to its upright position may hurt the user accidentally since the restoring elastic force of the bending portion is great.
Thus, it is desirable to provide an improved golf bag umbrella in order to overcome the inadequacies of the prior art.